Eskom load-reduction relief reaches 700,000 homes

Staff Reporter

Eskom has removed more than 700,000 households from load reduction, but Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal will only be fully cleared in 2027 because of higher risks on their electricity networks.

The power utility said in a statement posted on Monday that 714,513 customers –  about 42% of households targeted under its load-reduction programme, – were no longer affected.  It said 436 feeders had been removed from load reduction against a planned target of 971, reflecting progress of about 45%.

Eskom has not been implemented national load-shedding for 385 consecutive days.

The utility said it plans to end load reduction in seven provinces by October 2026, with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal to follow in 2027 because of “higher grid risks and bigger challenges”.

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Load reduction is used in high-risk areas to protect transformers and mini-substations